Horseshoe Valley: buying near the resort in Oro-Medonte

Horseshoe Valley is a resort community in the northwest corner of Oro-Medonte, built around Horseshoe Valley Resort and strung along Horseshoe Valley Road (Simcoe County Road 22) near Highway 400. The township's Official Plan names it one of only two Settlement Areas in Oro-Medonte, alongside nearby Craighurst. You will find condos and townhomes near the hills and estate homes on larger lots in the surrounding subdivisions. The question every buyer should ask first is not about the view. It is who supplies the water and sewer to that particular house, because in Horseshoe Valley the answer changes from one street to the next.

Where is Horseshoe Valley and how do you get there?

Horseshoe Valley sits north of Barrie in the Township of Oro-Medonte, not in Barrie itself. Horseshoe Valley Road links the valley with Highway 400 and with Craighurst, where the Official Plan describes the road as the hamlet's intended "main street." Highway 93 toward Midland and Penetanguishene begins at an interchange with Highway 400 a short way north, near Hillsdale.

Using OpenStreetMap routing, the resort is about 120 km by road from downtown Toronto. The resort itself says it is just over an hour north of Toronto and 20 minutes from Barrie. Weekend traffic on Highway 400 is the variable that matters most, so test the drive at the times you would actually make it.

What is there to do?

• Horseshoe Valley Resort advertises 28 alpine ski and snowboard runs, 30 km of groomed Nordic trails, a terrain park, snow tubing, fat biking and snowshoeing, plus four-season programming.
• Copeland Forest, provincial land close to the valley, is the big trail network locals use for hiking, biking and skiing. The township's Official Plan lists it among the provincial lands that anchor the area's open space system.
• Hardwood Ski and Bike is at 402 Old Barrie Road West, elsewhere in the township.
• Simcoe Woods Community Centre at 737 Horseshoe Valley Road West is the township's recreation centre, with gym programs and open gym times.
• Horseshoe Valley Memorial Park is one of the township's featured parks.

What does the Official Plan say about Horseshoe Valley?

The plan treats Horseshoe Valley as a low-density community built to complement the recreational base, with all new development planned to be on full sewer and water services. It divides the area into Low Density Residential, Medium Density Residential, Commercial, Village, Recreational and Community Use designations. A few rules shape what gets built:

• Buildings in residential designations cannot exceed three storeys, and buildings in the Village designation cannot exceed five, to protect views of the hills.
• No more than 75% of new dwellings in the Settlement Area can be single detached, so expect a mix of townhouses and multiples in new phases.
• The Village designation is meant to be a compact, walkable area near the ski facilities, permitting hotels, restaurants, shops and townhouse, multiple and apartment dwellings.
• In Low Density Residential areas, detached houses, additional residential units, home occupations and bed and breakfasts are permitted, and new lots by consent are possible where a plan of subdivision is not required.

Who supplies water and sewer to a Horseshoe Valley home?

This is the most important due diligence item in the valley. The township describes several separate arrangements.

Drinking water

Area	System	Owner	Cost (current)
Zone 2: generally the Landscape Drive area, south side of Horseshoe Valley Road	Horseshoe Highlands Drinking Water System	Township of Oro-Medonte	Municipal water rates
Zone 1: Horseshoe Resort, Birch Grove Drive, Country Club Lane and existing homes on the north side of Horseshoe Valley Road	Private Horseshoe Resort Drinking Water System	Freed Developments	Flat $880 a year ($220 a quarter), set by Freed
Many estate lots	Private well	Homeowner	Your own testing and equipment

The township plans to take over Zone 1 and connect it to the Horseshoe Highlands system. The project was paused in 2020 and again in April 2024 for a fee review, and restarted in 2025 after Council approved the 2025 and 2026 capital budget and legal matters over ownership and integration fees were resolved. The work is staged, and the township contacts affected customers to book water meter installations. The township's page lists a Zone 1 integration connection fee for new customers of $73.47 a quarter or a one-time $5,577.24. If you are buying in Zone 1, ask the seller what they have been billed and where the property is in the integration schedule.

Wastewater

System	Who it serves	Owner	Annual cost
Private Horseshoe Valley wastewater plant	Select areas of Horseshoe Valley	Freed Developments Utilities (township invoices on its behalf and does an annual peer review)	$1,257.84 at current rates, billed quarterly at $314.46
Horseshoe Valley Communal Tile System	About 100 homes, through seven tile fields; many have their own septic tank that feeds the communal system	Township of Oro-Medonte	$869.52 in 2026 ($217.38 a quarter)
Private septic	Most estate lots	Homeowner	Pumping, inspection and eventual replacement

The township's communal tile rates are scheduled to rise each year to $977.04 in 2028. Freed customers with questions about wastewater rates or maintenance can call 1-844-734-2026; for Zone 1 water, the township lists (905) 734-0869.

Condo and townhome or estate lot?

Horseshoe Valley gives you two quite different ways to own.

Condos and townhomes near the resort

These suit buyers who want the hill on their doorstep and less maintenance. Before you buy, review the status certificate with your lawyer, including the reserve fund, any special assessments and the declaration's rules on rentals and pets. Ask how the building is serviced for water and sewer, and whether the unit's zoning allows short-term rentals (see below). Some resort properties are timeshares or part of a rental management program, which come with their own ownership structure.

Estate homes

The subdivisions around the valley offer larger lots, often on a private well and septic. Treat these like any rural purchase: water potability and flow tests, a septic inspection, and a check of the lot's zoning and any conservation authority regulation if there is a creek, wetland or steep slope. The acreage buying guide covers that checklist.

Can you run a short-term rental in Horseshoe Valley?

This is the question resort buyers ask most, and the rules changed in 2026. After an appeal by the Oro-Medonte Association for Responsible STRs, Carriage Hills and Freed, the Ontario Land Tribunal issued a decision on March 30, 2026 that replaced the Official Plan's short-term rental policy. As consolidated in July 2026, the policy says:

• Short-term rentals that advertise (on a platform or any other medium) are permitted in any Village One (V1) zone, including V1 exception zones, and in the Residential Two Exception 123 (R2*123) zone.
• They are not permitted in registered plans of subdivision and other existing residential areas unless a zoning by-law amendment is approved against criteria such as noise, parking, servicing and neighbourhood character.
• Rentals of 28 days or more are not short-term rentals; they are a residential use governed by the Residential Tenancies Act.
• Short-term rentals may also be subject to licensing and other municipal by-laws.

The township lists short-term rental accommodation as a priority for its zoning by-law review now that the tribunal has ruled. If rental income matters to your purchase, confirm the zone of the specific unit and any licensing requirement with the Planning Division (planning@oro-medonte.ca) before you firm up, and do not rely on a listing's rental history.

Zoning is only half of it for a condo or a resort unit. The condo corporation's declaration and rules can restrict short-term or minimum-length rentals even where the zone allows them, and some resort units are tied to a rental program with its own agreement and fees. Ask for the status certificate and any rental program agreement during your conditional period, and have your lawyer confirm what you can actually do with the unit before you count on the income.

What else do Horseshoe Valley buyers ask?

What are property taxes like?

Horseshoe Valley is taxed at Oro-Medonte's rates. For 2026 the residential rate is 1.056733% of MPAC's assessed value, about $1,057 per $100,000 of assessment. Water and sewer charges are billed separately, so add them when comparing a Horseshoe Valley home with one on a private well and septic.

Is there high-speed internet?

The township lists Horseshoe Valley among the areas included in the SWIFT broadband expansion. Check the specific address on the Simcoe County broadband map; service can still vary by street.

What about schools and shopping?

Day-to-day shopping and hospitals are in Barrie and Orillia. For school assignments, use the Simcoe County District School Board and Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board school search tools with the exact address. See the Oro-Medonte town page for services across the township.

Will new development change the area?

Craighurst, the township's other Settlement Area, is planned for significant growth. The township says Craighurst Crossing is a multi-phase development expected to include over 400 new units by 2030, with a new municipal wastewater system and an expansion of the Craighurst drinking water system. Expect more traffic and more services along Horseshoe Valley Road over the coming years.

How Jordan can help

Jordan Rossman, a REALTOR® with Real Broker Ontario Ltd., Brokerage, can help you sort out which water and sewer systems serve a Horseshoe Valley listing, what the zoning allows for rentals, and what the status certificate or well and septic reports should show before you commit. Call 705-345-0797 to talk through a property.